BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 24. The Formula 1
and Formula 2 Grand Prix kick off today in Azerbaijan, Trend's
correspondent at the race venue reports.


This year's race weekend schedule differs from the traditional
one.


Today, September 24, Formula 2 free practice will begin at 10:00
a.m., and the two qualifying sessions will start at 2:00 p.m. and
2:30 p.m. In Formula 1, the first free practice session will take
place from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., and the second from 4:00 p.m.
to 5:00 p.m.


On September 25, Formula 2 will first hold a sprint race,
followed by the first main race, while Formula 1 will hold its
third free practice session and qualifying round. The main race of
the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will begin on September 26 at
3:00 p.m.


For your information, this year marks the tenth edition of the
Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which will take place in Baku.


The first Formula 1 race on the Baku street circuit took place
in 2016 as the European Grand Prix, and since 2017, the event has
been included in the Formula 1 calendar as the Azerbaijan Grand
Prix. The race was canceled only in 2020 due to the COVID-19
pandemic.







The Baku street circuit is 6.003 kilometers long. Drivers will
cover more than 306 kilometers, completing 51 laps in the main
race. The counterclockwise circuit consists of 20 turns.


The race in Baku is characterized by narrow streets, long
straights, and barriers positioned close to the track. On the
section running along the walls of the Old City, the road narrows
to 7.6 meters, which leaves drivers with little room for error.


Baku is also known for its unexpected results. Sergio Pérez and
Max Verstappen are the only drivers to win the Azerbaijan Grand
Prix twice. Verstappen finished first in Baku in 2022 and 2025,
while Pérez did so in 2021 and 2023.


This time, championship leader Kimi Antonelli heads into the
Baku round with an 81-point lead. The Mercedes driver has won eight
of the season’s first 14 races, as well as the season finale in
Madrid.


This year, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will also feature a
different format for Formula 2. Baku is the only Formula 2 support
series this season, and it will feature two qualifying sessions on
Thursday, a sprint race and the first main race on Friday, and the
second main race on Saturday.